


What Started a Legacy

by FanofmanyFandoms (Majorwhovian)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Action/Adventure, Eventual Romance, F/M, If u b 16 don't do this, Kanna is a boss, North Pole, Romance, South Pole, everyone's fav gran-gran
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:08:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26850421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Majorwhovian/pseuds/FanofmanyFandoms
Summary: Kanna was 16 years old when she decided she was going to break tradition and leave her engagement to Pakku.  In an adventure full of danger and romance that would inspire the future generations, she fled her home in the North Pole to travel across a war-torn world and make her way to true freedom. Her determination and desire to survive would be passed on through her to form a legacy that would forever change the world.
Kudos: 3





	1. To Change Your Fate Part I

**Author's Note:**

> Because I totally don't already have enough projects on my plate! My current Avatar series, Two Roads, gets updated twice a week, and I started this simply because I got the idea in my head and thought the story screamed to be told. 
> 
> Would love it if you checked out my other WIPs, and please leave a kudo and a comment on your way through! Will update this as often as I can but not as often as my main series. 
> 
> You readers are the best and as long as you keep reading, we'll keep writing.

She stared in the mirror at the light blue stone around her neck. The sound of the door her father had slammed in anger still echoed in her ears, but his passionate response to her rebellious declarations had fallen on deaf ears.

Her eyes were steely blue, void of tears or any other outward announcement of emotion. But inside she was screaming. And crying.

Pakku had tried to be romantic about it. He was a stoic boy with an icy personality. Her mother had told her that the boy would relax in the coming years but Kanna wasn't convinced. All she saw was a cocky 18 year old jock who told anybody that would listen that he was at the top of his class at the waterbending academy. When he proposed he had taken to her onto one of the many ice bridges at night, the full moon reflecting in the shimmering water beneath them. He had given her a demonstration of his bending and had ended the performance with an ice statue of what _could_ be considered a heart and a cupid (if you stared at it long enough).

The necklace he had made was much more impressive, and it was the one thing that Kanna didn't hate about this whole situation. Pakku had used the best lace, the best quality precious stone, and his carving was impeccable.

She had agreed, just like her father had ordered her to do, and had cringed sharply when Pakku tried to give her a kiss in celebration. He had gone for her lips and she had turned and let him peck her cheek. He had tied the necklace around her neck awkwardly then silently walked her back home to tell her parents the exciting news. Her mother had told her she needed to smile.

Kanna did everything _but_ smile that night. If she was going to have to do this, then she would go out kicking and screaming with every ounce of energy she possessed. Kanna slumped against the furs of her bed, wondering just how the day had taken such a horrible turn. Pakku had proposed the night before and her parents had told her they were happy and proud of her. They had been proud for less than 24 hours.

Her best friend, Yagoda, had met her after her healing lessons earlier that afternoon. Kanna had never been jealous of her friend, who, like her mother, possessed the ability to waterbend and heal the sick and elderly. It was a wonderful skill, one that Kanna did not begrudge her friend.

Her mother, however, was a different story. Luya had been extremely disappointed when she realized her daughter did not inherit the waterbending skills that had been passed down through the family for generations. Kanna saw it as a blessing, one less thing that her mother could not nag or reproach her about. You couldn't be bad at something that you couldn't do.

So when Yagoda emerged from her lessons, beaming and bouncing with excitement over a promotion in her class, Kanna celebrated with her sincerely. It was wonderful to talk about something happy instead of the war that had been raging for around 40 years at this point. Half of the male population was out on the battlefields in the southern territory. Their southern tribe had taken quite a hit from the opposing Fire Nation. Kanna had heard horrible stories about their waterbenders being hunted down just like the air nomads when her father was a boy.

"And my mother said I could have a new sled if I succeeded. I wonder what color it will be. And my father is taking me on a day trip out on one of the large bending ships! I've only been once, and I'm so excited!" Yagoda chattered happily as she walked with Kanna down the icy streets. Kanna just nodded and added in a "wow" or a "that's great" every couple seconds while her friend practically floated beside her. Yagoda's dark braids bounced against her shoulders and she finally took a break from talking to catch a breath.

"So anything new with you?"

Kanna didn't want to answer that question honestly. She knew Yagoda, ever the romantic, would celebrate the engagement with more enthusiasm and positivity than Kanna could take at that moment. Her friend would find out eventually. Just not today.

"Just my parents being my parents and Pakku being Pakku" Kanna replied honestly. "I'm just glad to get some time to myself today."

Yagoda nodded in understanding. Her parents allowed her a bit more freedom then Kanna's family did, but Yagoda had two other siblings that split the attention of her parents. Kanna was an only child and the entire family legacy and expectations fell on her shoulders. The two rounded a corner and spotted a group of boys playing ice hockey in an alley. Yagoda's eyes shone and Kanna knew her friend would love nothing more than to pull off her heavy outer coat and grab a paddle to join. But propriety held her back and Yagoda settled to sit down on a nearby barrel to watch the sport.

At the moment, Kanna held great disdain for any form of propriety and decided she would like nothing more than to pull off her coat and engage in the sport, though she was much too old to do so for a girl her age.

If her parents had something to say about playing hockey then Kanna knew right where they could stick it. She was going to have some fun today.

Yagoda watched with wide eyes as Kanna tossed off her coat and grabbed one of the hockey sticks, quickly joining the fray of young boys in the alley. The scarf around her neck hid the betrothal necklace from view and Kanna pulled back her hood so she play the sport better. She hadn't played in a while, but she had always been quite good at the game.

The boys looked surprised for a moment but cheered in excitement as Kanna joined a team and stole the puck quickly from one of the larger boys. Yagoda watched with growing excitement.

The game was going great until Kanna illegally checked a teammate, sending him sprawling headfirst into the snow. Kanna apologized quickly but as the other boys jeered and laughed, the boy got up out of the snow red faced and angry.

"A girl shouldn't be playing anyway!" He shouted. He took a menacing step towards Kanna and bended up an icicle, brandishing it in her direction. That's when Yagoda stepped in.

Quick as a flash, she snapped out with a water whip, knocking the icicle club to the ground. Yagoda hated confrontation, but no one was going to threaten her best friend while she stood by.

As soon as she did this a snowball hit her in the back of the head. Yagoda stood with wide shocked eyes as droplets of snow dripped behind her hood and down her back, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. Unlike Yagoda, Kanna welcomed confrontation and she had no issues calling out the injustice in the alley. Another snowball came barreling towards Kanna, soaking the thick scarf she was wearing. Kanna scowled and audibly growled, and the boy who had thrown the snowball took a step back in fear when he saw the look her face.

"Uh-oh" he stammered.

"That's it!" Kanna shouted, ripping off her wet thick scarf and slamming it into the street. She tore after the boy, fully intending on shoving several snowballs down his throat. They ran to the entrance of the alley...just to smack right into an angry looking Pakku. The boy Kanna was chasing recognized Pakku immediately and stopped running away, no longer afraid of Kanna. Kanna's hair had pulled loose from her loops and her hair was frizzy and danced wildly in the small breeze. She looked at her betrothed without a hint of shame over what she had done. She stood her ground.

"The other girl waterbended at us" the boy told Pakku. Kanna scowled. _Brown noser. She'd find out where he lived._

"I saw, go back to playing. I'll walk the girls home" Pakku said quietly. Yagoda came to stand beside Kanna and quietly handed her thick jacket and scarf back over to her. Kanna nodded in thanks but Yagoda wasn't looking Kanna in the eyes anymore.

Her gaze had tipped down to the glittering betrothal necklace around Kanna's throat, now exposed to the air.

"Kanna, you're..."

"Engaged" Pakku finished. "Yes, to me in fact. Care to explain why my future wife is rough housing in an alleyway with a bunch of boys?"

"I was just playing hockey" Kanna explain defiantly. Pakku's eyes grew wide.

"Hockey?" he repeated. "You're much too old to be playing in the streets like a child, Kanna! Please, don't make this more difficult for us" Pakku pleaded. Kanna looked at him strangely. _Difficult? For who? Us? Monkey feathers! You've got the easy part._

"What do you mean?" Kanna asked bluntly. Pakku looked hesitant to answer and he glanced at Yagoda who was watching the whole exchange nervously.

"Yagoda, would you mind? I'd like to speak to my fiancé in private please. I promise not to tell anyone you were waterbending."

Yagoda blushed furiously and bowed quickly to Pakku.

"Thank you, Pakku. Truly." Yagoda turned and glared at Kanna. She couldn't believe her friend hadn't told her about the proposal. They would have words later. Kanna shrugged and gave her a friend that said _Sorry, I'll tell you everything later. I promise._

Yagoda nodded and pulled her wet hood back over her head. She could almost hear her mother's reproachful words in her head.

_I love Kanna, Sweetie, you know I do. But sometimes I worry she isn't the best influence on you. I don't want you getting into trouble._

"Too late for that" Yagoda whispered to herself before rounding the corner and breaking out into a run. Maybe if she got home quickly her mother wouldn't ask any questions.

Back at the alley Kanna stared at Pakku while he picked up her coat and scarf and offered them back to her.

"They're soaked" Kanna said crossly. "If you had been watching the whole thing you would have known they threw snowballs at us. I don't have a problem with the snowball. I _do_ have a problem with you not letting me return the favor."

Pakku threw up his hands in exasperation.

"This! _This_ is what I'm talking about, Kanna! You don't make this easy!" Pakku said, frustrated.

"Easy for who? Because as far as I'm concerned, you've got the easy part. I'm the one that has to buckle down and do as I'm told or dishonor my family name. You just have to say your vows and boom! You've got a cook, cleaner, and candlestick maker" Kanna burst out. Pakku looked over her shoulder at the boys in the alley who had stopped their game to watch the argument go down.

"Not here" Pakku said crossly. Kanna sighed and relented. She picked up her wet coat and scarf and let him lead her out of the alley and farther down the street where they had some privacy.

"I've wanted this match since I was just a boy" Pakku began. Kanna had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. "My father agreed to the match because it was what I wanted, but you have made it increasingly difficult to convince both my parents that you are the right option. Your family is the one who gets the boost in status and financial assistance from our marriage, but after the sea prune incident last week your father and I had to practically beg my parents to let me propose. Your behavior is threatening our union, and it doesn't help things when you are starting street riots and running about with your hair undone and your jacket off, wandering without an escort which is hardly appropriate for a girl your age."

There was a lot to process in those sentences and Kanna felt her blood boiling.

"First off, I had Yagoda with me, so no escort needed" Kanna began. Pakku shook his head, hoping that Kanna wouldn't pop at him but expecting her argument just the same. "Second" Kanna continued, "What do you mean my father _begged?_ Do you seriously mean to tell me that our match was jeopardized because of a silly prank I pulled on your sister? That. Is. Ridiculous."

"My father didn't think it was ridiculous" Pakku shot back.

"Well he doesn't have much of a sense of humor anyway" Kanna quipped.

"Kanna" Pakku began.

"Pakku" Kanna said back in the same tone of voice. Pakku glared at her and Kanna glared back unflinching.

"Why are you trying so hard? If you're afraid of me embarrassing your family then just call off the engagement!" Kanna knew what this would mean. A girl who had a broken engagement was never looked on favorably. She might never get proposed to again. The option didn't sound so bad.

"I don't want to call off the engagement!"

"Why?"

"Because I love you, Kanna!" Pakku burst out finally. Kanna continued to glare at him, his words having zero effect on her.

"Why?" she asked him. Pakku blinked in confusion.

"Why what?"

"Why do you love me?" Kanna asked. Pakku briefly considered if this was Kanna's secret language of sarcasm that she used quite often, but he deducted that she was completely serious.

"Because...because I do. I always have. Is that not enough?" Pakku asked. Kanna shook her head.

"No. It's not" she responded. She had known Pakku for years and though their families had always been close she had never developed a personal relationship with the boy. Pakku had crushed on her as a child, then pined for her as a teenager. Now he was a young adult and he had gotten his way. But he didn't know a true thing about her. He didn't know how much she despised vegetables. He didn't know that her favorite snack was dried penguin meat. He didn't know that she liked to tinker and explored the boiler rooms at the school for fun. She spoke fluent sarcasm and it went over his head each time. He didn't know her favorite color or what she liked to do for fun. He didn't know how she would run to the edge of the icebergs at night and star gaze until every constellation was permanently engrained in her memory. He didn't see the drawings in her room where she poorly tried to imitate the breathtaking beauty of the northern skies.

He didn't know her.

"Well, maybe one day it'll be enough for you. After we get married. You'll see" Pakku said, crestfallen at her response but trying to be optimistic at the same time. "Just, please, let me get you home so you can clean up and get ready for tonight. Remember, Chief Tarnluque and Prince Arnook are coming to my parent's for supper tonight with the Southern ambassador and his wife. I promised them that my fiancé would attend with me. I need you there."

"I'll think about it" Kanna snapped.

"You really don't have an option" Pakku pointed out. Kanna wanted to say something snarky in response, but she knew he was right.

She didn't have an option. She never did.

They had just reached her parents house and Pakku hesitated. He took a step closer to her but Kanna narrowed her eyes at him. If he thought he was getting a kiss goodbye then he was sorely mistaken. Pakku got the message and backed away sadly.

His father was wrong. Courting a girl wasn't easy at all.

"I'll pick come by for you at dusk" Pakku said, taking a step away. Kanna nodded mutely.

When Kanna stomped into their small house her father had instantly noticed the wet jacket and scarf along with her frizzy hair and scowling expression.

"What happened?" he had asked.

It had all gone downhill from there.

"Kanna, you have a responsibility and an obligation. We did not raise you to be selfish! Think of what you are putting us through! Your mother and I have done everything we could and you throw it back in our faces every time."

"I don't love him and I didn't ask for this. If you cared what I thought, then that would matter to you!" Kanna responded.

"Love is a privilege, Kanna, you are not entitled to it. If you have already decided that you are going to be miserable with Pakku, then no one can help you" her father declared harshly.

"You've made that abundantly clear, Father. I'm not your daughter; I'm a bargaining chip."

"You know it's more complicated than that. Our family has a reputation to uphold." _Oh, the holy reputation. La forbid anything happen to that._

"It'd be so much easier to do that if I was out of the picture, then. Wouldn't it?" Kanna bit back.

"It definitely would be more simple, yes. But for now, I'll settle to see you go to that dinner tonight with Pakku. If you love us at all, Kanna, you'll go."

The words stung, and Kanna fled to her room. She hated it when her father had the last word, but she refused to let him see her cry. Even in her room she choked back the tears as she stared at the wall of her dark bedroom. She could hear her father speaking loudly with her mother in the other room. They expected her to get ready for the dinner tonight even though it was the last thing on her mind. She sighed and stripped off her wet clothes and started brushing her hair.

Her life would be easier if she just complied and did as she was told. Fighting back didn't get her anywhere. She was trapped.

It would be a long evening.

~0~0~0~

The dress she was wearing was stuffy and restricting and Kanna was resisting the urge to curse out loud at the stupid thing. She sat up straight in her seat in Pakku's family's grand dining room. The chief and Pakku's father were having a lengthy discussion about the war politics while the Southern ambassador chimed in every few minutes. Pakku had touched her leg under the table and Kanna had promptly kicked him.

Pakku's sister, Methaya, hadn't taken her eyes off of Kanna since she had walked in. Kanna acknowledged the scowl then had avoided eye contact with the girl for the entirety of the evening. Methaya was such a stuck up prick. She must be still sore from the prank the previous week. Sea Cucumbers bore strong similarities to the brown fruit that was the basis of many a northern dish. Kanna had learned that if she put salt on the stomachs of the Sea Cucumbers the little creatures would roll up into tiny balls and look exactly like a cooked sea prune. It had been an opportunity too good to pass up. When she had shared lunch with Pakku's family, she had managed to sneak into the kitchen and swap out Mathaya's sea prunes for the live Sea Cucumbers. The girl had screamed and nearly fainted when the vegetables on her plate suddenly unrolled and started walking across the table.

The memory was ridiculously funny and Kanna bit back a smile and turned all of her attention on the Southern ambassador to distract herself from laughing out loud at the table.

"The most recent attack was over a month ago" the ambassador was saying. "Thankfully, we did not lose another council member, but they managed to take one of our best waterbending masters captive."

"Which master?" Pakku asked.

"Payah" the ambassador responded. "She was one of the most powerful individuals in the tribe. She invented nearly a dozen new techniques that were extremely effective against the Fire Benders. They used Shirshu darts to take her down. It was the only way they could get close to her."

"Her?" Pakku asked. Kanna perked her ears up.

"Yes" the ambassador confirmed, looking puzzled. "Master Payah is a she..."

"Forgive my son," Pakku's father said with a fond look at Pakku "But, our tradition and culture is a bit different here in the north. The women who waterbend focus on healing while the men bare the responsibilities of war."

"A shame" the ambassador said. "Pardon me, I meant no judgement or offense, but our tribe is structured very differently" he said as he looked over at his wife. "My wife, La Mai, is a very skilled bender, for instance. It was one of the things that drew me to her, but it still took me a few years to earn her favor." La Mai blushed and smiled brightly at her husband.

Kanna listened to the exchange in earnest and Pakku frowned as he saw Kanna's eyes light up. It didn't sound like the South did arranged marriages either, at least, that's not how the ambassador and his wife seemed to come together.

They sound like savages, void of order to Pakku.

It sounded like heaven to Kanna.

That evening, when supper was over and everyone was relaxing by the fire in the sitting room, Kanna found an opportunity to follow La Mai out to the back balcony. The woman was leaning against the railing and stared up at the beautiful moon above them. She had a faraway look in her eye as if she was imagining a place or someone beyond view.

"It is such a pleasure to meet you" Kanna began, bowing gracefully. La Mai turned to smile at the young girl and bowed back.

"Thank you, Kanna. It is lovely to meet you as well. Can I help you with anything?"

"The South" Kanna said, barely holding back the excitement from her voice. "Can you tell me all about your home in the South? It sounds so...different" Kanna asked hopefully. La Mai smiled and noted the betrothal necklace around Kanna's neck. It didn't take a genius to figure out the situation and which party was more enthusiastic about the match.

"Of course" La Mai said. Kanna listened wide eyed as La Mai described her home and her way of life. It all sounded too good to be true, particularly the part about no arranged marriages and the penguin sledding.

"I wish you could meet my daughter. You two would get along swimmingly" La Mai said after she stopped laughing when Kanna told her the sea prune story.

"How old is your daughter?" Kanna asked.

"She is 18 and more of a handful than she ever was as a baby" La Mai laughed.

"Married?" Kanna asked. La Mai shook her head.

"Goodness no. She's a little boy crazy at the moment, but I don't believe she is ready for anything serious. There is a war on and she will have to grow up soon enough, especially since she is a talented bender. I would love it if she could enjoy these last few years of her childhood in peace. Maybe if I'm lucky, she won't even have to fight in this war and it'll end before I have my first grandchild."

It sounded surreal.

"Your home sounds beautiful" Kanna said. There was a hint of sadness in her voice, something La Mai did not miss.

"You could always break up with your boyfriend and come see us in the South" La Mai joked with a laugh.

"Ok" Kanna said quickly. La Mai stopped laughing.

"Oh, my dear, I know what I'm telling you sounds amazing, but it isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Both our sons and daughters have the same responsibilities and many of them are already fighting in a war. Treasure the time you have with your family and be thankful that you might never see the conflict firsthand. War is a horrible thing and you will be much happier if you never have to set your eyes on it" La Mai said as she placed a hand on Kanna's arm. Kanna looked down at her lap. Of course La Mai was right. She couldn't leave her family. She couldn't leave her responsibilities, right?

La Mai gave Kanna's hand a small squeeze before the older woman got up to return to the sitting room. Kanna looked up the sky in silence and pondered La Mai's words. The moon was beautiful and stretched out over the ocean in the distance. Kanna traced the skyline until melted into the ocean. She had never been far beyond that line. She had never traveled farther than to the Northern Air temple with her father when she was a small girl. Beyond that, the world was a mystery. A mystery with no clues for Kanna to put the pieces together.

Maybe she could leave. Maybe the world that the ambassador described wasn't too good to be true. Maybe there was true freedom out in the world, just waiting for her to have the courage to grab it. Maybe.

Kanna was tired of others deciding the rest of her life. She stood up on the balcony and traced the shape of a crescent moon on her wrists and forehead. The mark of the brave. She would earn that mark for herself. She would flee her cage and learn for herself who she was and what she deserved. But she would never know if she didn't try.

Opportunity wouldn't knock twice. Mind made up, Kanna returned to the sitting room.

When Pakku walked Kanna home that night, and she didn't hear a word of anything she said to her. She was busing sorting and cataloguing all the details she had learned that night.

 _How long the ambassador was here. Where his ship was docked. What time he was leaving. How long the voyage would take._ She had less than two days to make her escape.

"Kanna."

Kanna snapped out of her trance and shook her head. Pakku had been saying her name repeatedly.

"Hmm?" Kanna asked. Pakku sighed.

"I said, goodnight Kanna. Thank you for being so...perfect tonight. And you looked amazing" he said sincerely. Kanna blinked and was silent for a moment.

"Oh, well thank you" she managed to get out.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier. I've been under a lot of pressure at the academy and from my father, but it wasn't right to take that out on you. I promise you when we get married it will be easier. You will have your own home and make your own schedule and have Yagoda over as often as you like...within reason. I promise."

He was so sincere and for the first time, Kanna felt a little sorry for what she was about to put him through. She leaned up of her own volition and gave him a small peck on the cheek.

"Thank you, Pakku. I think a little freedom will be really good for me."

"I think so too. I love you, Kanna" Pakku said, blushing slightly.

He didn't wait for her to say it back, not even expecting her to able to for a long while. She just needed patience and understanding. A girl like Kanna was worth it. He could make her happy, he knew he could. When she shut the door behind her he stood out in the street for a minute longer. He reached up and touched the cheek she had kissed.

Patience and understanding. He could do that.

Inside, Kanna said goodnight to her parents then ran to her room. She felt a pang of guilt for what she was about to do to her family and her friends, but she decided that a lifetime of misery wasn't worth it. The potential for happiness outweighed any regrets that she would carry in her life.

It was time to pack a bag and make a plan.


	2. To Change Your Fate Part II

Kanna had less than 24 hours to completely plan out her escape, and she made use of every second. She had gone over every possible outcome in her head multiple times. The Southern Ambassador was heading back to the South Pole along with dozens of volunteers from different clans around the Northern capital. Many of these volunteers were strangers or from families that did not frequent the city.

Kanna had managed to swipe a uniform and several changes of clothes from an unsuspecting Pakku. Pakku had just been thrilled that Kanna had suddenly taken an interest in his family and wanted to spend more time at his house. He had not noticed her unusually large tote back that she brought with her, and certainly didn't take notice of it's extra weight on the way back to her house when he offered to carry it for her.

Kanna had agreed without hesitation. This was wonderful. She was finally warming up to him.

Back in the privacy of her own room, Kanna had packed a small bag with food for a few days and compacted all the clothes she would need over the top. She pushed the entire bundle under her bed to hide until she was ready to leave.

That evening, when her mother called for supper, Kanna took the opportunity to make things right as best she could. She knew that she could not stay, but she didn't want to leave and have any regrets. If she was a successful, she probably wouldn't see her family for quite some time.

"And I'm shopping out some light blue fabric for your wedding gown" her mother was saying "I would love to have your opinion on the material. I'm so glad that you spent the afternoon with Pakku."

Kanna glanced over at her father.

"Of course, Mother. I promised Pakku I would accompany him to see the ambassador off early tomorrow morning. After that we are getting lunch in the city, and I'll be back at the evening. We can go together before the shops close" Kanna said. She was lying through her teeth, but for once, she wanted to see that happy smile on her mother's face. She wanted to feel like she could pinch and poke herself into that mold of the daughter her mother wanted, if only for a second, because it was the last time.

"I...thought it best to take some time and think of what you said the other day, Father. You're right. The only one who can do anything for my own happiness is me. I am actively going to try for that" Kanna said honestly.

"Glad to see you take the initiative with Pakku, then. You have no idea how much you're helping your family, Kanna. I knew you would see the right path eventually."

Kanna tried hard to ignore the smug tone and victorious smile on her father's face. The guilt she was presently carrying slipped off a little bit. She wondered if her father would hold any guilt or responsibility when he realized she was gone. No, he would probably blame her.

 _If you love them, you wouldn't be doing this._ A tiny voice in the back of her head would not be quiet.

_No, my father has used his love as a bargaining chip my entire life. If he loved me, I wouldn't have felt like this was a decision I needed to make in the first place._

What was love after all? Did Kanna have any real experience in the true form of the word? To her, love was power over someone else. It was a word that was brandished like a club.

_If you love us, you'll do this. If you truly cared, you will do that._

That's not how she wanted to live.

It wasn't how she was going to.

Late that night, after she made sure that her parents knew she would be up before them the next morning, Kanna packed the last of her things and took one last look around her room. All her utterly terrible drawings were pinned around her tiny mirror. She hesitated a moment before picking up the razor she had swiped from her parent's room. If she was going to disguise herself as a boy, she would need shorter hair.

Her long locks fell to the floor and the jagged crooked edge of her hair barely brushed her shoulders. Kanna tied it back into a wolf tail. Her face was youthful and round, but distinctly feminine. She would have to keep her hood over her face. She studied her face in the mirror and her eyes fell down to the betrothal necklace around her neck.

She reached up to the clasp, ready to take it off for the last time, but she stopped. The necklace was beautiful, she could not deny that. Kanna lowered her hand and tucked a warm fur around her neck.

She was losing Pakku, but she would keep the necklace. It was no longer a betrothal piece, it was her favorite bit of jewelry.

_My only piece of jewelry, really._

She looked at her pearl comb, her only other treasured possession. She had not gotten the chance to say good bye to Yagoda, but maybe she could leave her something. Hopefully, her best friend would not forget about her.

With one last look around the room, Kanna quietly left her room for the last time. The streets were deserted and Kanna ran to Yagoda's house. The windows were dark and the only sound was the crackling of snow and ice beneath her feet. Kanna slipped into the alley and placed her pearl comb on the window sill of her best friend's bedroom.

"Goodbye, Yagoda. You'll be the best healer in the world, I'm sure of it. I'll miss you" Kanna whispered. Yagoda. The one person she would miss dearly. If only she could have said goodbye.

The moon was bright overhead and lit her way to the docks. The clothes she had stolen were a bit large on her, but were still easier to move around in than her own clothing. And there was no blasted wrapping brace around her middle up to her chest. Kanna relished the freeing clean breaths that filled her lungs.

Freedom felt good.

The ambassador's ship was easy to pick out and there were some men with torches sitting on the deck. Kanna carefully moved around the shadows, deducing the best place to climb aboard. The wood plank in the center was a no go, but there was a rope hanging over the edge on the other side of the ship. The dark side.

Kanna made sure her pack was tied tightly to her back before leaping from the deck to the rope on the side of the ship. There was a loud thud as her chest hit the side of the ship, and she bit back a sharp breath as her hands closed around the rough rope. It was terribly cold and it was hard to get a good grip. There was a murmur of voices on the deck of the ship and Kanna saw the torches move in her direction.

She held her breath and tried to flatten herself against the side of the ship while she held onto the rope for dear life. The torch went over her head, casting it's glowing beams on the part of the deck she had been standing at just a moment ago.

It seemed like an eternity before the light finally moved away and the footsteps receded into nothing. Kanna breathed a sigh of relief then started to make her way up the rope, hand over hand. It had played out so much easier in her head.

Just when she felt like the rope was going to remove the upper layer of her skin from her hands, she grasped the edge of the railing and hoisted herself over and onto the main deck. There was no time to relish in the small victory. Kanna jumped up and made her way to the door that led below deck. She planned to hide in the storage until the ship set off the next morning. Her food would keep her sustained until they were few days out in sea. After that, she would mingle with the northern volunteers and hide among the group of strangers.

She doubted she would be able to stay hidden for the entire voyage, but she was betting that if they were far enough away from the North Pole, setting her on a ship home or dropping her off at a nearby port wouldn't be an option anymore.

She quickly found the galley and crawled back behind the barrels of salted fish and rice wine. She found a small tarp and constructed a tent in the very back of the storage galley.

Her parents didn't expect her home until the next evening. They wouldn't discover her missing until the Southern ship was long gone. A search would be made and they would find out that Pakku had no plans with her at all. If she did end up getting caught and sent back home, the consequences would be severe.

It was worth the risk. Kanna silently ate a snack as she settled down in her hiding spot. Maybe she could get some sleep. There would be no reason to budge from her spot until the next evening.

Kanna woke up to the thundering noise of footsteps on the deck above. The volunteers were here and were loading aboard. She heard some people come into the storage room several times, but realized they were just packing in more supplies. She held her breath each time someone opened the door. The next few hours were the most dangerous for her.

When the ship suddenly lurched forward, Kanna's heart raced. The boat was moving. There was no going back now. There was a rattling noise as the large oars were extended and splashed into the water. They were rowing to open water. The sails would go up and the winds would start pushing them South.

_To her new home._

~0~0~0~

Yagoda took the dirty dishwater out to dump in the alley. She hadn't seen Kanna in two days, and she was anxious to talk to her best friend about all the details of the engagement. The healing lessons were in another hour, and that would give her just enough time to run over to Kanna's and see if she could walk to school with her. As the sudsy water trickled down towards the drain at the end of the alley, Yagoda turned to go back inside. Something glittered on a nearby windowsill in the morning sunlight. Curious, she turned and picked up the pearl comb, still frosty on the underside where the sun hadn't hit. Why would someone leave such a beautiful expensive piece of jewelry outside?

Yagoda turned it over in her and, and her eyes widened as she recognized the design of the unique comb. 

_This was Kanna's._

But why would Kanna leave one of her most prized possessions out in alley? Was it an apology for something? It didn't make any sense. Yagoda quickly finished up her chores and headed to Kanna's house. 

Kanna's mother, Luya, answered the door.

"Good morning, Yagoda. It's good to see you. How are your healing lessons progressing?" 

"Very well, thank you. I was wondering if Kanna wanted to walk with me to school this morning. I didn't see her yesterday" Yagoda asked. 

"I'm sorry, but Kanna is in town with Pakku. They saw the ambassador off this morning and are getting breakfast in town. I don't expect her back until later" Luya said. Yagoda sighed. She'd heard how friendships changed when someone got engaged. She never thought she could ever lose Kanna to a boy, but if she had any guess, Kanna didn't have any say in the matter.

"All right, thank you" Yagoda said. She turned and started heading to the healing academy. She passed by the water bending sparring courts on her way, and took the time she had to stand on the wayside and watch some of the fights going on. One boy was obviously winning the match and Yagoda watched in awe with a hint of jealousy. Using a tornado of water, the boy took out his opponent by whipping his legs out from under him. He stood the victor as the boy mushed into the snow waved his hands in defeat. The onlookers cheered and the winning boy pulled off his hood.

Yagoda sucked in a surprised breath. It was Pakku. 

But if he was here, then there was no way he could be having breakfast with Kanna in town. Yagoda backed away from the court as a list of possibilities flashed through her head. If Kanna had lied about where she was, then something was definitely not right. Kanna was headstrong, witty, and arrogant sometimes, but she was no liar. 

Maybe the little hockey game incident earlier that week held more consequences than anticipated and Kanna was hiding from it all. If that was the case, Yagoda knew where to find her. It had started to snow, but Yagoda didn't care. 

Her attendance record was perfect, and Yagoda reasoned that she wouldn't be in too much trouble if she skipped just one class. She turned and ran towards the outside edge of the city, to the cliffside where Kanna liked to stargaze and sketch. It was her special spot, and the one place she went to find some privacy and peace. It was a good ways out of the city, and Yagoda was not used to running. Out of breath an hour later, Yagoda reached the top of the ice berg that overlooked the ocean. The wind was sharp as it started to snow harder. The sharp flakes cut across her cheeks as she looked at the bare stool. Kanna was not here. It was almost lunchtime and Yagoda hadn't eaten much for breakfast. She felt her blood sugar diving, and she sat down on the icy stool and looked down at the pearl comb in her hands and ran her thumb over the soft globes. 

_What had happened?_

She sat there, contemplating her best friend's plight. She never completely understood Kanna, but she admired her friend's boldness to speak her mind. Most called her rude and unmannered; Yagoda thought it was brave. And now her parents and society as a whole was forcing Kanna into a spot where she truly did not want to be. Yagoda was thankful. Because she was a healer, her parents had decided it was best to not set up a match for her quite yet so she could focus on her studies. Kanna had no such blessing. 

It hurt Yagoda whenever Luya made sure to commend Yagoda's talents and progress as a healer in front of Kanna. It was like she was highlighting everything that her own daughter was not. Kanna was not one to admit her feelings outright, but Yagoda knew it had to hurt. 

What could be worse than feeling like a constant disappointment, while the world decided you couldn't be who you were meant to be?

It wasn't fair, and Yagoda swallowed the lump in her throat. Wherever Kanna was hiding, she decided she wouldn't tell on her best friend. No, Kanna could come back in her own time, and Yagoda would keep the pearl comb close to her for safekeeping. 

It still didn't make sense why Kanna left her the comb. Maybe her father threatened to confiscate it as punishment? 

Or maybe it was a goodbye. 

A pit landed in her stomach and Yagoda got up. She headed back down the ice berg, ready to search the entire city for her friend if she had to.

She was so distressed that she didn't notice the black snow that had started to fall until it got caught in her eye. It burned and her eyes watered. She looked up in surprise. Black snow? What could have caused that?

A horn sounded through the air, chilling her to her very bones. They had been doing emergency drills ever since they were children. Up to this point, she had never heard that horn and feared any real danger, but now she ran towards her home as fast as she could.

The Fire Nation was coming. 

Pakku was cleaning up from his fight when he heard the horn. The bending academy was a sudden rush of chaos as people started running every which way. His fellow class mates were brimming with nervous excitement.

While the South Pole had been attacked numerous times, the North Pole capital had never been attacked up to this point. This first battle would show the fire benders who they were dealing with.

"Men, single file!" 

Their instructor came barreling into the room and the boys nervously lined up against the wall. 

"Pakku, Nuktok, Borrick, Sodaka. Report to the military base at once. The rest of you, assist the brigade. The front part of the city is being evacuated to the underground bunkers. Cover the citizens. We doubt that any fire will make it over the walls, but we are not going to risk the safety of our citizens!" 

"Yes sir!"

Pakku's chest filled with pride. He was at the top of his class, and the instructor had chosen the most powerful benders to assist him. It was time to show the world the kind of man he was. He was so ready. 

"I know you have not graduated yet, but today, destiny calls upon you to be men, not boys" their instructor announced. "You will follow me. We are headed to the the frontal defenses at the second wall. We hope that the metal ships won't make it past that point, but we will be ready if they do."

The side door of the room burst open and Pakku saw his future father-in-law come marching through the doors. He turned visibly pale when he saw Pakku and rushed forward to grab the boy at his shoulders.

"Where is Kanna?"

Pakku blinked. Kanna?

"I haven't seen her since yesterday. I asked if her if I could see her after my training, but she told me she had chores in town today. Can you not find her?"

"She told us she would be with you!" 

A pit settled in Pakku's stomach. There was no way to know where Kanna could be, but he couldn't leave his orders and go find her. This was his time to show his teacher he was ready to graduate. He had set his eyes on an apprenticeship position that would help him become a teacher at the academy someday. If he left now...

Pakku looked at his instructor then back at Kanna's father. 

"I'm sorry, I can't help you find her. I've been ordered to fight on the walls. I have to go" Pakku insisted. Kanna had obviously done something reckless again, but she wasn't stupid in any sense of the war. She would have heard the horn and known the game was up. He was sure of it.

"Follow the instructions and go to the bunkers. I'm sure she'll meet you there!" Pakku said as he turned to leave the room. Kanna's father was left standing by himself as a second horn sounded over the ice.

Time was running out, and he needed to find his daughter. 

Back on the Southern ship, Kanna woke up abruptly to the sound of shouting and pounding. An explosion broke through the air and the entire ship shuddered. Something was wrong.

Curiosity was eating her alive, and Kanna squirmed from her hiding place and ran from the storage room to the deck stairs. She crawled up to the door and put her ear to it, hoping to figure out what was going on.

"All benders, report to stern! All warriors on deck!"

Another explosion.

Kanna cracked the door open and managed to get a view of the sea over the railing. The ocean was littered with dark ships. A flying fire ball descended from the sky, just missing the small wooden vessel.

_Fire benders._

Kanna shut the door and leaned her back up against it as her heartbeat shot through the roof. 

This was the war La Mai was talking about. She was now in the middle of it. The door opened and Kanna fell backwards onto the deck. She stared up into the face of an angry lieutenant. She was caught.

"Hiding? Are these the kind of warriors the North sent us? Pathetic! Get up to the main deck, soldier!"

That's right. Her hair was tied back and she was dressed like a boy. Kanna scrambled to her feet and pushed her hood over her head as far as it would go. 

"Yes, sir!" she spluttered out. The lieutenant looked at her strangely before shaking his head and turning his attention elsewhere.

_Prepubescent boys? These are the warriors they could spare for us? My daughter has a lower voice than that kid._

Kanna turned and made her way up the deck. The oars had been pulled in and the sails were unleashed. A Fire Nation fleet was to their right, and they were trying to blast their way to open water. They were not going to assist the North. They had no choice but to retreat towards the Earth Kingdom. 

A fire blast had ripped one of the sails loose and the rope was blowing in the wind. 

"Grab it men! Tighten the sail!"

Kanna followed three other soldiers and helped grab the thick rope and wrench the large sail back down. The wind caught it and Kanna lurched forward as the boat pitched. The rope was ripped from her hands, leaving her soft palms burned and torn. One of the other men looked down at her as she bit her lip to stop from crying out.

"What's wrong with you? You've got hands like a girl!"

Kanna froze and refused to look up. She turned and pushed her way through the crowded deck to get away from the judging and peering eyes. When she reached the railing she hung her head over the side and completely emptied her stomach of her earlier breakfast as sea sickness hit her with force. Her hands burned from the rope and her eyes watered. She wiped her mouth as someone jostled her from behind.

"Terrible time to get sick there, mate. What's the matter? Haven't been out at sea too much?" 

Kanna shook her head. 

"Incoming!" 

Kanna and the men turned their heads at once. Another fire ball was flying through the air, headed for the center of the deck.

Suddenly, it was knocked from the air with a blast of water. Kanna looked to see La Mai, riding the waves and bending a shield over the top of the ship. There was chorus of cheers as she surfed by the group on the deck. 

Kanna's eyes were wide and her mouth had dropped open. La Mai's cloak billowed in the icy wind and she bended the falling snow into sharp daggers that she propelled through the air towards the black ships.

Two other benders were riding behind the ship, pushing it through the water and increasing their speed as the repaired sails filled with wind. 

"They're within range! Load harpoons!"

The other men rushed to their battle stations and Kanna was left standing awkwardly at the back of the deck. Her stomach was rolling and she didn't know the first thing about loading a harpoon. She felt incredibly stupid and useless. All she was doing here was getting in the way. Tears stung her eyes and she scowled and blinked them away.

She wasn't on this ship to fight anyway. She was here to escape. Mind made up, she dashed down the deck back to the storage door. She quickly looked to see if anyone was watching before slipping back below deck to her hiding spot. All the barrels were tied securely down and didn't budge as the ship tossed from one side to the next. 

Kanna jumped over them and back under the tarp. This was the safest place for her right now. She listened to the sounds of the battle raging overhead and determined right then and there to learn some means of strengthening herself so she wouldn't ever again feel this helpless.

Her feet started to grow numb and she rubbed them to keep the circulation going. Her stomach still felt incredibly weak. She was glad she hadn't puked in the storage room. That would have outed her immediately. 

There was a lull in the action and Kanna stood up, unnerved by the quiet. She took one hesitant step towards the door when the whole ship shook at once. There was a cracking sound and Kanna was knocked to the ground. Freezing cold water suddenly sprinkled over her feet like a fountain and Kanna sat up.

A torpedo had been launched into the side of the ship, and they were taking on water. 


End file.
